Fluid pumping film reel



Jan. 30, 1951 R. M. BARTH FLUID PUMPING FILM REEL Filed Dec. 1, 1949 INV EN TOR. P055??- M. QT/f A TTORNE YS Patented Jan. 30, 1951 UNITEDSTATES PATENT vOFFICE 2,539,884 FLUID PUMPING FILM REEL V'RoberthBarti1,"ieiham Manor, NrY., assignor to theFR Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Appiieaimnnecniber 1, 1949, serial N0.130,427

. 3 Glainis. 1 The present invention relates generally to the art ofphotography. In particular it relates to the art of and apparatus forprocessing photographic or other film by subjecting same to the actionof chemicals in fluid state. Even more particularly, the presentinvention relates to the apparatus wherein photographic film is disposedduring processing by suitable fiuids of the type including a filmsupporting reel shown, for eX- ample, in Naylor and Fink U. S. 1fatentNo. 2,298,963.

Experience'rhas shown that vit ishighly desirable 'in the development ofphotographic lm to agitate the same during the period of immersionthereof inthe developing fiuid. Proper agitation duringsuch immersionmakes for evenness in the processing, if the entire area of the film iscon-` tacted by the processing uids. Proper agitation also removes airbubbles on the film surface, thereby eliminating spots and the like.This agitation has been accomplished in previous constructions either bywhirling the reel supporting the film within the tank or by rocking thetank on a, suitable support. These, however, are -haphazard methods,reflected in streaks and unevenly exposed areas. So far as is presentlyknown, there is no device which functions positively to direct theiiuids forcefully through the nlm convolutions so as to ensure contactof the entire area of the lm being treated,

The main object of the present invention, therefore, is the provision ofa film tank cornprising a casing having a rotatable film supporting reeltherewithin, on which reel the film is wound in spaced convolutions, orotherwise held in spaced relation, rotation of which reel causes apositive and direct movement of the processing fluids within the tankacross the entire surface of the lm being processed.

Another object of the present invention is in the provision of a deviceof the character described, wherein the film supporting reel is formedof a pair of spaced discs, each including a plurality of radiallyextending ribs, the upper and lower surfaces of which ribs are angledfrom the horizontal so that on rotation of the reel, a pumping actionwill be developedby the movement of the angled faces through theprocessing fluid.

With the device of my invention, a turbine effect is developed uponrotation of the reel within the tank whereby the rib portions of thereel will pump or force the fluid into and between the filmconvolutions, as a result of which the entire surface of the nlm will becontacted by and sub- 2 jected to the action of the film processingfluids.

Other, further and more specific objects vofthe present invention willinpart be obvious and'in part pointed out specifically in the followingdescription of an illustrative embodiment. y

In the drawings "annei'ed hereto and 'forming a part hereof, j j p yFigure 1 is a vertical section through one form of device constructedaccording to and embodying my invention; y v l Figure 2 is a plan viewof a disc component;

Figure 3 isa section on the line 3-'43 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 ure 2; and

Figure 5 isv a perspective view, from the underside, of a portion ofthe're'eldisc, partly broken away.

The `reel of my inventionis indicated generally by refernce numeral "la,andfco'riiprises a pairfof circular discs |12, i2.L In use, discs l2, I2are spaced apart in parallel relationship o n a shaft i4, and maintainedin a predetermined relative position by any suitable means. If desired,one of the discs may be formed as an integral part of the shaft I4, asis conventional in the art.

Each disc I2, formed as by molding, stamping otherwise, of plasticmaterial or the like, comprises a circular outer ring i8, a filmentrance opening 2U thereinto, and a helical wall 22, coiling inwardlyfrom the periphery of the disc, adjacent opening 20, to a point adjacentthe apertured centrally disposed core 2E. Core 26 is apertured, as at24. The convolutions of Wall 22 dene a helical lm receiving groove orpath 28. The helically winding wall 22 is supported from the undersidethereof by a plurality of radial ribs or vanes 30, extending fromV outerring I8 to core 25. In addition, a number of shorter supporting ribs orvanes 32, 32 may be provided, reaching from outer ring IB to a pointshort of core 26.

)In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, eight full ribs or vanes 3i). 35iare provided, with eight stub ribs or vanes 32, S2, the full and stubribs being alternately placed, thereby providing openings as Mi, iiibetween the convolutions of wall 22 adjacent ring i8, and openings 4'2,d2 adjacent core 25 for the free passage of fluid through the disc.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 5, each of ribs 3S. .'52 is formed, insection, as an elongated member, the upper and lower sides 5B, E@ ofwhich are angled from the horizontal. rEhe degree of angularity need beof such order as to develop a pOS- is atsection on the line 4-'4 VoflFigtive driving movement of the fluid, and E haveA found, for example,that an angularity of 18 is quite satisfactory. The invention, howeve;is not to be so limited, except by the appended claims. When a pair ofdiscs l2, i2 are spaced apart on support, as ifi, with openings 2?, inalignment, a film strip iii? may be threaded into the reel thus formed,either by attachment to the shaft id or cores Q, 26, and thence aroundiilin path 28 to the outer portion of the reei, ci' the film may bepushed into the reel from opening 2t thence inwardly along path 28 untilthe end of the lil-in is inserted in stop pocket 52. When the film isinserted in the reel, with the disc of Figure 2 as the lower one and adisc oi opposite curvature in respect of wall 22, the leading end of thestrip will ride up the inclined top sides 5i), 5&3, of the nrst ribs 33aand thereafter slide inwardly between the opposed discs around thehelical path 28. As seen in Figure l, the walls 22, 22 dene opposing andaligned pathn ways 28, 28, spacing apart the necessary convolutions ofthe lm. In Figures 3, 4 and 5, it will be seen that portions of the ribsproject up into the lm receiving path,

When the film-loaded reel is then disposed within a suitable containeror tank shell, as iii, and immersed in the processing fluid disposedtherewithin, all parts of the lm will, or should normally, be contactedby the said huid. With the reel constructed as above described, onclockwise rotation of the reel, via actuation of shaft IQ., the angledupper faces of ribs Sii, 32 will move the fluid, and force saineupwardly through openings QE, d2 thereby ensuring a posiu tive directedmovement and turhulation of the fluids against all surfaces of the nlm.When rotated counterclockwisely, the lower angled faces of ribs 3h, 32will force the fiuid downwardly against the bottom of the container "iiiand thence upwardly through openings fi'i, s2, securing the samedirected and positive movement of the pros essing uids. Rotated ineither direction, my

reel will develop a positive movement of the prociessing huid directingand forcing the fluid between the spaced iilin convolutions.

Having described my invention, what clair-.i and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

l. A nlm supporting reel including a centrally disposed shaft, a pair ofcircular discs thereon spaced apart along the length of the shaft, acontinuous helical Wall on each disc extending around the disc from apoint adjacent the cente of the disc to a point on the periphery oi thedisc, the wall convolutions of one disc opposing the wall convolutionsof the other disc deiining a film receiving and retaining trackway, andmeans on the discs to support the convolutions of the continuous wall,which means comprise a plurality of ribs integral with the wall on theouter aspects of the discs extending axially thereof, the upper andlower surfaces of the ribs being angled with respect to the planes ofdiscs.

2. .A film supporting reel as in claim l, in which only certain of theribs extend the full distance from the outer periphery of the to theinner margin thereof.

3. A film sup zting reel as in ciaiin l, in which the angled ribsproject into and between the wall convolutions but to a point spacedintvardiy of the tops of the walls.

ROBERT li/i. BARTH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ile ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,843,317 Davidge Feb. 2, i9322,187,948 Moore Jan. 23, i940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date598,532 Great Britain Feb. 23, 1948

